In a game of two halves, United played like the champions they are in the first half, finding a goal when needed and defending with class and style. However, the second half was a different affair as Clive Barker clearly inspired his men in the half-time interval as they came out firing in the second 45.
The match was definitely a spread out game, with both sides using the width of the pitch and attacking down the flanks, and SuperSport especially supplying dangerous crosses into the area.
AmaZulu certainly started the better of the two teams, hitting the crossbar in the fifth minute from a Dumisani Ngwenya shot.
Usuthu came close again three minutes later when Jan Sillo pulled the best out of Tshepo Motsoeneng in the United goal when he unleashed a pile-driver from 25 yards out that had the keeper scrambling to parry the shot around the post.
Almost instantaneously SuperSport appeared to wake from their slumber and started attacking down the flanks through Daine Klate and Lerato Chabangu; both proving a constant threat throughout the first half as the Usuthu defence struggled to deal with their speed and trickery.
However, it was Tsietsi Mahoa that caused all the problems in the 20th minute when his pin-point cross found Elias Pelembe unmarked inside the box, and he made no mistake with his header.
The start of the second half saw a different AmaZulu side emerge and they equalised almost immediately when Myron Shongwe scored in the 54th minute from Ngwenya’s pass.
After a period of sustained pressure, AmaZulu were rightly rewarded with a second goal in the 63rd minute. This time Shongwe repaid the favour, putting Ngwenya in some space with a decent through-ball. Motsoeneng had no chance as Ngwenya fired the ball past him into the top right corner.
AmaZulu held on for the win, playing superbly and deserving the three points. Hunt will not be happy with the loss which will only make things harder in the long run, especially when they come up against Kaizer Chiefs this coming weekend.
